Probably because you’re not tapping into the primeval, reptilian part of your audience’s brain, argues Oren Klaff. In his book Pitch Anything, Klaff asserts that many sales pitches are created in the neocortex, that suave, postmodern section of the brain. But sales pitches are received by listeners’ “crocodile brain,” which is geared not for logic and nuance but for fight or flight.

Klaff says anyone who sells for a living should grasp the rudiments of neuroscience. The brain, he writes, is a three-part gantlet, and your message must clear each section of the brain before you make the sale.

The first and deepest part is the crocodile brain, a place of raw emotion. Next, your message travels to the midbrain, which adds meaning and context. Last, your message arrives in the neocortex– the part of the brain that makes sense of complexity and solves problems.

The human crocodile brain acts as a gatekeeper and it responds to a sales pitch in three ways: by dismissing the information as boring, identifying it as a threat or by approving the message for further review by the midbrain.

Make Your Pitch A Success Story

Klaff suggests several strategies for getting past the ancient gatekeeper. First, set the frame. This simply means creating conditions favorable to your pitch. You’ll also need to control your pitch and remain the dominant person in the room.